RAW STORY IS:
CARBON BALANCED; ALL CARBON EMISSIONS ARE OFFSET!

Rep. Nadler: Investigate torture or face road to ‘tyranny’

By Sahil Kapur
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 -- 12:51 pm

nadler%20court Rep. Nadler: Investigate torture or face road to tyranny

WASHINGTON – A New York Democrat argued that failing to prosecute former Bush administration officials complicit in the use of torture would create a dangerous precedent and place America on a path to "tyranny."

In an interview with Raw Story, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) invoked a "supremacy of laws" when critiquing President Barack Obama’s decision to "look forward and not backwards" on his predecessor’s abuses of power.

"Those who misuse government power to break the law and subject people to improper pressure or torture ought to be prosecuted," said Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. "That’s why we have laws."

The Brooklyn-born Nadler, who has represented New York City since 1993, has taken a special interest in championing civil liberties during the last decade. He rebukes the Patriot Act. He opposes FISA wiretapping. He rejects the partial suspension of Habeas Corpus to fight terrorism.

"Since the Patriot Act, I think we've gone overboard," Nadler said. "Not that we've gone overboard on security, we certainly need the security, but we've done things that are unnecessary to do in terms of restricting civil liberties."

Story continues below...

The Obama administration has declined to launch an investigation into illegal activities carried out during the Bush administration -- such as the practice of waterboarding, which is widely considered a form of torture, on terror suspects.

"If you don’t prosecute, or if you don’t investigate, then what you’re saying is government can do anything," Nadler argued. "And that’s a formula for tyranny. So I think it’s very important." As for looking forward and not backwards? "By that standard you’d never prosecute any crime."

White House officials and some analysts fear that a drawn-out investigation, which would be virulently fought by Republicans, would drain the capacity of Democrats to advance their domestic agenda.

Nadler argues that to sustain a democracy, it's vitally important to hold lawmakers accountable for their crimes – even more so than with private citizens. "People who break the law, ought to be held accountable," he said, "especially if they’re in government, because they have more power."

Though he is among a Congressional minority on some civil liberties issues, Nadler continues to speak out against what he deems gratuitous expansions of executive power that began under the Bush administration and have persisted under Obama.

"I do not believe that they add to national security,” he said. "National security has to be protected, but protected right."

***

RELATED -- From Raw Story's exclusive interview with Nadler:

Democrat: Steele is 'right that the Afghan war is unwinnable' (July 09, 2010)

Top anti-war Democrat: Afghanistan war could ‘destroy’ Obama’s presidency (July 12, 2010)

View Comments to “Rep. Nadler: Investigate torture or face road to ‘tyranny’”

  1. 1Genessender

    Louder, Jerry. You're getting senior, you've got one of the safest seats in Congress from one of the richest and most powerful districts–it's long past time you stepped up. And then follow it up with serious actions. We don't need another John Conyers.


  2. 2peterlawrence

    Say it loud and say it proud! Been screaming the same GD thing for years and now that Obama has continued those same practices we shouldn't spare the rod. Today, on many issues, Obama is just as guilty as Bush and should be indicted.


  3. 3shediac

    While you're at it ask them about 9-11.


  4. 4theDetails

    Republicans have always considered themselves above the law. (i.e. Dick Nixon: “When the President does it – it's legal”) and they get away with it partly because the Dems don't want to hold them accountable. On the other hand, the Republicans will take any opportunity to use and misuse the law to maintain power (i.e. Clinton impeachment). The worst part of Obama's misguided “let's just move forward” philosophy is that when the Republicans come back into power they will feel even MORE emboldened to place themselves completely above the law. And that's a recipe for real disaster.


  5. 5mindboggeling

    Good for Rep. Nadler! The Democrats are afraid they would drain their capacity to further their agenda? Oh ya mean like extending the unemployment? Or swearing in Kagan? It seems the repubs are doing that anyway! So who cares? By NOT investigating and prosecuting is showing weakness and fear. So far the republicans stalling has worked. They are not going to cooperate with the Dems no matter what! So piss on them! The President has a responsibility to it's citizens to uphold the laws. If he doesn't he appears weak. If he doesn't hold bush/cheney and friends accountable why should anyone else who breaks laws be held accountable? Based on Obama's actions of not looking back only looking forward, I should be able to rob a bank and when they come to arrest me I can avoid arrest by just telling them they can't charge me because we don't look back only forward. The only difference would be I'm not rich.


  6. 6MrPunch

    Thats the gateway. The “initiation”, really.

    Once you see for yourself the crime of 9/11, then many doors start opening. If 9/11 was staged, what other holes can be torn in my safe little reality that exposes the true mechanics of this world?

    Nazis,
    Eugenics, food additives, gmo food, Pharmaceuticals
    Mind Control/Mass Mind control/Mk-Ultra/Media Programming, celebrity/politicians as mind control slaves, torture, ritual, occult, paedophilia,
    Predatory lending, financial slavery,
    Vague wars, mass genocide, funding warlords,
    Drugs, CIA shipping the drugs in then arresting people for buying them, prison industrial complex.

    Take your pick!


  7. 7mpclark12

    Wow, a sane politician? Who would of thought they still exist?


  8. 8Third_stone

    That senseless statement was actually advanced as precedent by the Bush crew.


  9. 9Smatchmo

    “White House officials and some analysts fear that a drawn-out investigation, which would be virulently fought by Republicans, would drain the capacity of Democrats to advance their domestic agenda.”

    Yes because the Democrats are having absolutely no trouble whatsoever in advancing their domestic agenda. An investigation into war crimes and violations of our constitution would eliminate AAAAALLLLLLLLL of the bipartisan goodwill that the Republicans have shown since the day Obama was inaugurated.

    We mustn't upset the Republicans. Heaven forbid.


  10. 10Third_stone

    Weakness and fear is quite correct. Possibly theft of honest services would fit those who will not act. There is also misprision of a felony and a treason, in that parties knowing of felonious acts fail to report it.


  11. 11NadePaulKuciGravMcKi

    A nation of laws?
    Blind justice?


  12. 12bobdevo

    Bush and Cheney had admitted ordering torture (waterboarding). There's no need to “investigate”. Take the documentation to a Grand Jury – if the Grand Jury indicts, then you prosecute. This isn't rocket science.

    Let the Republicans whine all they want – Congress cannot stop the judicial process just because it is politically unpopular with the corporatist Republicans.


  13. 13AtlanticCapers

    Barack Obama doesn't believe in the rule of law. He is a madman.


  14. 14mpclark12

    Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, wouldn't bash Nelson specifically. “I will. Ben Nelson is an asshole


  15. 15mpclark12

    Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, wouldn't bash Nelson specifically. “I will, Ben Nelson is an asshole


  16. 16braind

    well said…


  17. 17crowseye

    Not just torture, Mr. Nadler. Torture to produce FALSE CONFESSIONS. Torture to DEATH.

    http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/con...

    And, of course, torture as a teaching method for preschoolers:

    http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/fro...


  18. 18Savantster

    Before the Shrub years, the Dems took more action against themselves than the Repukes ever took against anyone (and the Dems took action against Repukes, too). They USED to mostly be the party of accountability.. in fact, some of them supported impeaching Clinton if he actually lied (turns out he did, sorta)..even though they knew it was a witch hunt and unfair. The point was, breaking the law is breaking the law.

    That all changed during the Bush years.. now no one can manage to hold politicians accountable, even when they are caught in South America cheating on their wives, or with text messages to minor boys in homo-erotic abuses at the work place.

    Nadler is right, the tyranny is almost codified now.


  19. 19Eyeball_Kid

    The “Democratic Agenda”, until now, includes ignoring past crimes of torture, mass murder, and violations of the Geneva Conventions. Wow. Now there's a big hurrah for the Rule of Law, right?

    Obama likes to project the persona of a peaceful guy (except when it comes to authorizing the use of drones and hundreds of thousands of troops and mercenaries in Afghanistan, and the rampant killing of civilians), and takes his persona to destructive territory when he refuses to allow for the prosecution of war crimes, all for the hope of comity with the political opposition, who were led by common criminals just before he took office.

    This is the politics of insanity, which can only be explained by the politics of corruption. And it is why I won't donate a cent to any Democrat who supports the crazy, failure-bent, morally corrupt, weak-kneed excuse for “looking forward.” If it doesn't show that the Dems are saturated with vacuous mindsets, then it shows that they've already felt the jackboots of fascism on their skulls. Or maybe it shows both.


  20. 20azhermit

    this nation has become a nest for every reptile in the world. and along comes a politician, of all creatures, that calls for justice for the millions of humans that were murdered by the previous administration. don't count on Holder to facilitate justice, as he is a vain man who lacks integrity and strength.


  21. 21bilweeler

    Try reading the post before commenting.


  22. 22Scott Burnell

    They'll get away with it. They are elites, the law is for little people like us, not the ultra rich


  23. 23rmwarnick

    As a committee chairman, can't Rep. Nadler hold hearings? Has he done so? If not, why not?


  24. 24WJM51

    Obama's actions are acceptable, since the previous congresses did NOTHING about such obvious and arrogant abuses of the W administration. Since, as Nixon said, “If the president does it, it's not illegal” and no one corrected him, the precedent has been set. If you're not willing to do anything about W, then Obama HAS to get a walk. He's just following the rules as set by his predecessor and that no one bothered to enforce before.

    IF someone had done something about the flagrant, illegal and unconstitutional acts of the W “presidency”, THEN I would say you have a case. But the precedent was set by NOT arresting W and Cheney, so you're just stuck with what you have now, like it or not. In American law, precedent is damn near everything. That is how we ended up with corporate personhood in the first place, which allowed all the rest of this shit to happen.


  25. 25CosimodiRondo

    “If you don’t prosecute, or if you don’t investigate, then what you’re saying is government can do anything,” Nadler argued.

    Um, actually it means you are an accomplice.


  26. 26cliffhammond

    “On the path to tyranny”? Has he not been paying attention? Bet you dollars to donuts his phone is already tapped.


  27. 27cliffhammond

    Wrong thread if this is about the continuing struggle with corporatists over the extension of unemployment benefits. But you're right.


  28. 28SoldierFire

    I don't disagree with him. But we're already on the road to tyranny. In fact, the destination is within our sights—people just haven't seen it yet.


  29. 29cliffhammond

    I'm convinced now that Obama never was the man they thought he was at home. He looks more like a cut-out than a president. I'm sure *someone* thinks he's doing a fine job — probably the powers behind the throne of the imperial presidency he sits on. They'd better hang a roll beside that throne because he's going to need it in 2012.


  30. 30Scott Burnell

    And most people wont follow us there either. Thats too 'crazy'


  31. 31Pennsylvanianne

    Congressman Nadler is right. When oh when will this investigation take place? I know Obama doesn't want a repeat of the Watergate hearings or Lewinsky investigation. But this is serious and must be addressed. The misuse of government power attacks what we are as a nation: that is, the powers of government are derived FROM the people, not directed AT the people.


  32. 32peterlawrence

    I'm pretty sure that was my point.


  33. 33AtlanticCapers

    What, the part where Nadler says Obama's a tyrant?


  34. 34Phil E. Drifter

    http://ph1llydrifter.home.comcast.net/~ph1llydr...


  35. 35AtlanticCapers

    You're equivocating legal precedent and political precedent. Fail.


  36. 36AtlanticCapers

    He joined a clique back in Harvard. He's still an active member.


  37. 37WJM51

    Please convince me that the two aren't the same thing, anymore. Especially in the last 10 years. And if the political is overriding the legal, then what REALLY wins out over what?

    The 1886 “decision” that ultimately gave us the Citizens United case was NEVER decided by the SCOTUS. It was also NEVER questioned once it had been written into the heading of a decision that had NOTHING to do with corporate personhood at all, by a CLERK of the court who had NO legal standing or legal reason to put it in there. And yet it's stood for over 100 years, hasn't it? So the political IS the legal, for all intents and purposes. And the fact that such a “decision” has been used several times without legal standing is a supreme joke on the HUMANS in this country.

    And if the president breaking the law and NOT being prosecuted isn't BOTH a legal AND a political issue, I certainly don't know what would be.In such cases, EVERYTHING is both legal and political.

    And finally, don't kid yourself, ALL law IS political. What is the prohibition of cannabis if not political? And yet it's legal, too, isn't it? If it's not, then why do we screw with over 750,000 Americans every year for it? PURELY political AND legal. ALL law is political, don't kid yourself.


  38. 38MrPunch

    For anyone who doubts that the ruling politicians are homosexual pedophile child abusers:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ37lFha8Uo

    If they enjoy hurting children, what do you think the plan is for the rest of us?

    Conspiracy of Silence is a 56 minute documentary film detailing an alleged child sex scandal that involved many children from Nebraska institution, Boys Town and Lawrence King, or Lawrence “Larry” King. The organized child sex parties implicated the Reagan and Bush White House during the 1980s. King was the ringleader of the sex ring which had links to other fellow political conservatives in Washington D.C. including Republican lobbyist Craig J. Spence, Sen. Elizabeth Dole's staff, along with members of the financial elite of Nebraska.


  39. 39AtlanticCapers

    Your point was not that all law is politics; it was that all politics is law.


  40. 40hourglass1

    duh …


  41. 41apocalypto

    I think you could make an easy argument that OBAMA IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN BUSH simply because he has institutionalized the tyranny by continuing the abuses of power since 9/11. Being a dictator is now bi-partisan.


  42. 42Carol Davidek-Waller

    He's absolutely right. We;re well on the way. While we're at it, there were and are many other war crimes commited by our government that have never been addressed.
    The worst war crime of all is aggressive war. 2.5 aggressive wars and counting.


  43. 43w000t

    I agree with your general sentiment, except the “congress cannot stop” part.

    The entire US government, the judicial, legislative and executive branches, is corrupt. They can do whatever they want now. I don't think many people realize just how serious the situation is, if you still think the system is able to correct it itself. Because a 'correction' at this point would mean mass prosecution of the entire government, including the judiciary, the supreme court, the senate, the house of representatives, the military, the CIA, the FBI, the NSA, the mainstream media (merely a propaganda arm of the criminals), and not to forget the enormous involvement of the rest of the private sector.

    There is no way. The only thing that is going to happen is tyranny and eventually civil war. The Pentagon will then unleash the full force of its military and technological capabilities against American citizens, in addition to what it is already doing now.


  44. 44w000t

    A little glitch in the Matrix. But insignificant.


  45. 45tjfxh

    Spot on. And don't stop there. Obama inherited a constitutional crisis and even though he is a constitutional lawyer and sworn to uphold the law as POTUS, he caved to politics. That is obstruction of justice and violation of the oath of office. They should all be in the dock at the Hague.


  46. 46tjfxh

    Spot on. And don't stop there. Obama inherited a constitutional crisis and even though he is a constitutional lawyer and sworn to uphold the law as POTUS, he caved to politics. That is obstruction of justice and violation of the oath of office. They should all be in the dock at the Hague.


  47. 47dotmafia

    The reason why Obama and the Democrats have “declined” to properly investigate and prosecute is because they are directly complicit in the criminality. Doing so would open a mega can of worms which would threaten to bring down the whole house America calls its government.


  48. 48sandi2

    “White House officials and some analysts fear that a drawn-out investigation, which would be virulently fought by Republicans, would drain the capacity of Democrats to advance their domestic agenda.”

    You forgot to mention that an investigation is surely to affect many Democrats as well as Republicans. I'm guessing that more than half of our government officials would be indicted for war crimes, spying, taking bribes, and election fraud.


  49. 493arthling

    If the President does it, it's not illegal.
    – Richard M. Nixon (paraphrasing from memory)


  50. 503arthling

    I think the situation is at least as bad as you describe – maybe worse.


  51. 513arthling

    If there's going to be an investigation, it better happen before the November elections or that opportunity can be kissed goodbye.


  52. 52chrisinseattle

    Obama:ConstitutionalScholar::HarvardMBA:Bush

    Obama is a total God damned phony. Anyone with an elementary school knowledge of history knows that following orders in good faith is NO defense against war crimes. This was settled at Nuremberg.

    But then he's shown what a great fan he is of executive over reach with his vote to extend the Patriot Act and his support of retro-active immunity for the telecoms who did the illegal data mining.

    He's worthless.


  53. 53Benway for the Nova Police

    We are at the end of the Road to Tyranny. That building up ahead is the Barack Obama Memorial Outhouse of Tyranny. Beyond that is the entrance to the Barack Obama Amusement Park from Hell.


  54. 54Benway for the Nova Police

    The only thing settled at Nuremberg was that the winners write history.


  55. 55Benway for the Nova Police

    “They” are not directly complicit. The Congress is complicit. Obama could have avoided being complicit by ending it immediately having entered office. Wrong move, Sonny.


  56. 56Benway for the Nova Police

    Soundtrack for the Barack Obama Tyranny Extravaganza: Living Color: Cult of Personality.

    Look in my eyes, what do you see?
    the Cult of Personality
    I know your anger, I know your dreams
    I've been everything you wanna be ohhh…
    I'm the Cult of Personality
    Like Mussolini and Kennedy
    I'm the Cult of Personality
    the Cult of Personality
    the Cult of Personality

    Neon lights, Nobel Prize
    When a mirror speaks, the reflection lies
    You won't have to follow me
    Only you can set me free

    I sell the things you need to be
    I'm the smiling face of your T.V. ohh…
    I'm the Cult of Personality
    I exploit you; still you love me
    I tell you one and one makes three ohh…
    I'm the Cult of Personality
    Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi ohh…
    I'm the Cult of Personality
    the Cult of Personality
    the Cult of Personality

    Neon lights, Nobel Prize
    When a leader speaks, that leader dies
    You won't have to follow me
    Only you can set you free

    (Guitar solo)

    You gave me fortune, you gave me fame
    You gave me power in your God's name
    I'm every person you need to be ohh…
    I'm, the, Cult, of, Per, Son, Al, Ity


  57. 57robweave

    hey man, why are you wasting your time here, you should be writing science fiction for a living


  58. 58Benway for the Nova Police

    Bill is an idiot. He can't help it. He watches Fox News with his dinner of jelly beans and popcorn.


  59. 59Benway for the Nova Police

    I must say there is more rationality on this thread than I have ever seen before. Is this a NeoCon holiday or something? Ann Coulter's birthday, perhaps? Lyman Lemnitzer False Flag Day?


  60. 60markusgarvey

    In an effort to serve the online community best, please verify your Disqus account so that your comments will post as soon as they are posted in the future. Thanks


  61. 61Benway for the Nova Police

    Kill the 60-vote “filibuster” charade. It's just an excuse not to do anything meaningful.


  62. 62cohentelstar

    MEGA CAN OF WORMS….no doubt….A lot of it is inside my head. But the tradition of torture as a “psychological treatment” or interrogational procedure goes back to the Spanish Inquisition. Which is why in the current day, when someone gives you the third degree, one says “I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition” as a flip retort. Anything you can link to Monty Python is good for me. Some of these facts are ancient and historical beyond and before Bush and Cheney ever were born, the traditions of BASTARDRY and SKULLDUGGERY from Atlantis and the white purity to the Pyramids of Egypt and the Book of Lamentations. But I regress.


  63. 63Elim

    Obama can't do anything about the past abuses of the Bush administration. He's been ordered not to even think about it, or else.


  64. 64cohentelstar

    How did the phrase “probe torture” strike me as ironic, like why don't we just have a regular litany of headlines that say “man sought in probe of cattle prod abuse allegations.” On and on and on.


  65. 65Elim

    They should all be in the dock at home, not in some foreign country, subject to the laws of some supranational body.


  66. 66Elim

    All detailed the book “The Franklin Coverup” by John De Camp.


  67. 67Elim

    MG, I think you should change your notice to “…will appear as soon as they are posted.”


  68. 68moxaman

    He isn't worthless to the neocons running the country. He is their “boy”, their uncle Tom, their patsy. Unfortunately, he is our President.


  69. 69Crispus Attucks

    Rigged Debold voting machines with no paper trail, tax loopholes for the rich, supreme court decisions making corporations people, one president refusing to prosecute known treasonous former presidents, BP being allowed to suppress the media… EXCUSE ME but tyranny is here. Just because you still have the right to post here on Raw doesn't make this a free country. The NSA is here too. Keep it real.


  70. 70Trevinla

    It's nice to here a Rep. stand up against Bushbama!!

    Thank you!!


  71. 71damnadamzama

    Weird synchronicity. I was just referencing this Living Colour song today when talking about our celebrity-obsessed culture (if you want to call what we have culture at all).


  72. 72damnadamzama

    Rotten carapace of a system.


  73. 73scytherius

    Oh we are WELL along that road. There is no going back now. The Bigot Tea party, Faux News, Sarah the Stupid … the list goes on.

    America is over. Get used to it.


  74. 74stumptownhero

    The ONLY hope we have is to end faith based voting and start publicly financed campaigns. With anything less the representatives of greed and power will continue rule our lives.


  75. 75C H

    Nadler is dreaming. We out here who voted for and worked to get Obama in, have long since given up waiting for him to do the job. He does not have the will or political courage to do what needs to be done. And it is his lack of respect for the Constitution that will move him out of office. It is his failure to do what we hired him to do. He has gone back on nearly all his promises.

    Or his implied promises. When he was running, he elucidated all that was wrong. And we thought since he understood, that meant he would do what we all wanted. And that was our mistake. He never really outright promised. He implied. And we thought we knew him and what he stood for. We didn't. We gave him virtues he did not really possess.

    He is a decent man. And a moral man. But he is also very pragmatic. He is no progressive. We assumed he was. And that was our mistake. I did not expect him to do everything he implied needed doing. But I did expect him to do the hard stuff regarding the previous administration. Being a constitutional lawyer with a mandate from 75% of the voters, I assumed he would. He did not. I don't believe he had a realistic idea of how difficult the job would be. And how intransigent the opposition would be to change. And he kept the hand of bi-partisanship out for too long. Long after most of us already knew how pointless it was. He thought that civilized discourse was all it took to reach compromise. He was wrong again.

    The GOP is not the old loyal opposition of long ago. This is a neocon cult. This is a radical fringe party. The President has consistently forgotten what his base is. He has allowed as someone said, “the GOP to define his presidency for him. As his base he forgot us. He listened and continues to listen to the wrong elements of his own cabinet. Too bad for him and us.

    He has acquiesced to the shredding of the constitution and our rights. He has left in place and expanded all of Bush's worst. Shame on him. Not for what he did. But for what he failed to do.


  76. 76Kris KREIDER

    And that's why so many refuse to accept the 9/11 truths.

    I thought people had learned something from Nixon.


  77. 77chrisinseattle

    Hard to imagine that someone could actually make Dubya look good, but Obama's trying his damnedest. Succeeding too.


  78. 78chrisinseattle

    I wish I could have said it half as well as you just did. The BeePeeblicans really ARE a religious cult. They worship at the alter of Reagun. Dubya was a hero worshiper acting like the actor who acted like a president. It was a sad parody of leadership. And his followers, like praised him as he took us over a cliff. Like a church full of worshipers singing praises as the hurricane or earthquake bring it down on their heads.


  79. 79Bob Rouse

    I think CH unintentionally shows why Obama is having popularity problems. Supporters heard what they WANTED to hear, not what he said. FactCheck.org shows he has actually met a LOT of his campaign promises. However, those who thought he was a progressive wet dream weren't really paying attention. I didn't vote for him in the primary because I thought he was too moderate. To say he has gone back on nearly all of his promises is absurd. That said – I think he was the right person for this time in our history. He has helped push Dems in Congress to step up, and he's done what he can from the Executive branch to fix the myriad of things broken by the Bush administration.


  80. 80hu

    I DON”T BELIEVE YOU NADLER. IF YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHY DON'T YOU START FILIBUSTERING EVERYTHING UNTIL THERE's AN INVESTIGATION. OR YOU COULD THREATEN TO LEAVE THE PARTY.


  81. 81Confus

    Do you believe that only the martyrs who sacrifice their political lives are sincere?

    If so, what have you sacrificed for your beliefs?

    Just asking.


  82. 82Confus

    I agree with your criticisms but cannot concur with your praise of Obama. He is far too intelligent and well educated not to know he is doing the bad things you describe and much worse that you were too polite to mention.

    Indeed, there is strong evidence that Obama has been duping us all along. Shortly after he won the election, several Obama supporters who are much smarter than I glumly observed that no bona fide liberal, much less progressive, would appoint such demonstrably corrupt insiders such as Summers, Geitner and Salazar.

    When the Clinton “centrists” swung the party to the right, the Democratic Party joined the Republican as a subsidiary of the corporate plutocracy that rules America.

    Obama is Bush with an adult vocabulary.


  83. 83Rosemary Palm

    OK. Perhaps President Obama needs some cover and can't lead the attack; but it looks like Rep. Nadler has stepped up to the plate. Please lets take this and run with this; take his back. If everyone would please Twitter/Facebook/… this story as my few 11 followers isn't enough spread. Spread the story, build it, and don't wait for President Obama. He'll join when he finds it expedient to be the leader and catch up to his people.

    Marra


  84. 84tazdelaney

    i commend nadler for continuing to fight for war crimes trials for the criminals. however, mr. nadler needs to realize that everything bush did is now being done by obama. as i keep having to point out to people almost daily… on the eve of his inauguration, obama told us all on 60 Minutes that “we don't tand for torture;” that he would close gitmo in a year and that he would return the US to the rule of law.

    but on february 1, 2009, with those words still fresh on his lips, obama re-authorized the bush CIA rendition program of globally outsourced disappearance and psy-ops torture chambers; gitmo is still business as usual and we have a new, larger gitmo running tortures at bagram AFB; military kangaroo courts stil accept 'confessions' gained by years of torture as somehow valid.

    and all this torture isn't just overseas. a young man was imprisoned here in NYC 4 years ago and held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day for 3.5 years before his trial for having prepared to send raincoats to al qaeda. that is torture under teh geneva conventions. and while israel continues down a nazi path; only those americans who donate to aid to gaza go to jail for 'providing material support to terrorism.' and the obvious fact is that many millions more humans have been terrorized by the US government than by those they denounce as terrorists.

    as an illustrative note, consider that in 1950, the koreans were torturing american GIs and then televising their 'confessions.' this was loudly denounced by both presient truman and dwight eisenhower who specifically mentioned the tortures of waterboarding, electric shock, extended isolation, beatings as tortures and they ridiculed the idea thta any 'confessions' gained by torture had any validity whatsoever. this shows how far we have fallen into demonic degeneracy as a nation.

    mr. nadler, i'm 100% in back of you in this, but i strongly believe that ALL THE WAR CRIMINALS MUST BE CHARGED and partisan myopia will do no good at all. the fact is that the united states government is a juggernaut of evil and is at full-throttle as an empire. it needs to be disarmed and demilitarized as germany and japan were after WWII. then we should disarm and demilitarize the rest of the planet but another time for that discussion.


  85. 85petebogs

    Go Nadler! This needed to be said. If we give these guys a pass in an effort to “look forward instead of backwards,” how can we ensure things like this will never happen again? That question needs to put directly to Obama. His idealism needs to be challenged with reality on this.

    See “If We Fail To Look Back, We May Have Only Trouble To Look Forward To” for more.

    http://blogdebogs.blogspot.com/2009/01/yes-virg...


  86. 86markusgarvey

    thanks Elim…done…


  87. 87harlinredlands

    This is why there is no American version of the Prime Minister's Questions.

    In England, they are allowed to grill their leader for 30 minutes each week on any issue they want, in their House of Commons, televised.

    The reason we cannot do this here in America is we want to be lied to. We want to remain stupid. The conservatives among us are afraid of Ron Paul. The liberals among us are afraid of Dennis Kucinich. The President, whether he's Bush or Obama, is AFRAID of the public. Afraid of the truth. And afraid of telling the truth.

    This is why I pee on the souls of every American who cannot break from the mainstream.


  88. 88nikto

    I agree that it is this American mass-inability to escape conventional thinking
    and see what is profoundly true, that
    is part of how we are killing ourselves as a nation.

    Can I pee alongside you?

    Imagine the cover of the “Who's Next” album,
    as more folks join in.

    C'mon, everybody!


  89. 89Scott Burnell

    I'm unzipping my fly as we speak


  90. 90miscellany101

    Nader is a gadfly, and not a very consistent one at that. Check out this video:

    http://cspanjunkie.org/?p=178

    where at 10:30 he doesn't show the enthusiasm for doing something about making Bush/Cheney accountable for their crimes that he could have done as a member of the House Judiciary committee. The word 'hypocrite' comes to mind. He's a sadist who takes great pains in kicking a dead horse, a lame duck president or an extremely unpopular one, but he doesn't put his money where his mouth is. A typical politician who needs to be dispatched and replaced with someone the likes of Dennis Kucinich or Ron Paul.


  91. 91airjackie

    With most of the current Law Makers part of the torture policy done from 2000 to 2008. It would clean out the Government if the truth came out. A large group know by pushing Bush/Cheney on trial it would make all the names of those who supported this illegal action. Most likely it will be the United Nations that will bring War Crime charges. Saddam is said to have kill a thousand people Bush killed one million innocent Iraq people sleeping in their beds because 56 bombs missed their targets. Bush kidnapped men/woman/child, held them for years and tortured and raped them. In 2008 780 prisoners were released with no charges because Bush didn't want the World to know the US had kept people in jail that they knew were innocent. Yes we tortured/raped woman/children while held in Gitmo. Iran has nothing on the US when it comes to torture.


  92. 92donofcali

    That's why we can't let the Plutes divide us into Liberals and Tea-Baggers. They want civil war. The only way the Plutes can be defeated is if we join forces against them. We're clearly being set up.


  93. 93donofcali

    “He'll join when he finds it expedient to be the leader and catch up to his people.”

    That'll be right around the time the stars burn out, Rosy Palm.


  94. 94archiebird

    I guess I'm glad he's speaking out, but whats the point? Hes 8 years too late. And one of the major culprits is having major heart surgery today.


  95. 95Brian Hedden | BK Southie

    To filibuster everything in sight, one must first be a member of the Senate. Nadler is in the House.


  96. 96Max_1

    .

    Dear Mr. Nadler,
    America has been waiting for nearly a decade.
    When will you act?

    .


  97. 97et_nc

    Those in power asserting their wills with no fear of consequence? Sounds good to me! We'd all be much more secure in a monarchy.


  98. 98alan8

    Unfortunately this Democrat's positions aren't shared by the rest of his corporate-financed party. He (and the other 2 or 3 progressive Democrats) aren't typical, and voting for this corrupt party because of their statements helps to perpetuate the corruption.

    Among the Bush-Administration crimes the Democrats chose to ignore was staging the 9/11 attacks, which the neocons used to justify invading Iraq, trashing the Constitution, and raiding the treasury for their client corporations.

    It's time to start replacing BOTH these corrupt, corporate-funded parties with one that doesn't accept ANY corporate money, and that represents CITIZENS' interests: The Green Party.


  99. 99marblex

    Nixon's congress took his traverses seriously and impeached him. But for his resignation he certainly would have been convicted.

    I always felt the Dems let their opportunity to make a significant statement about law and order in this country by not continuing to prosecute Nixon for his crimes while in the White House.

    Following Watergate and its aftermath, the media was cornered by conservative interests who bought up every broadcast, radio, tv, print license, vehicle, etc. in sight and made certain that Reagan immediately disposed of the Fairness Doctrine and Equal Time Amendment, staffed the FCC with cronies.

    Why?

    So there would never be another Watergate investigation and ensuing disclosure of the ongoing criminal enterprise that is known as career politics.


  100. 100marblex

    It was obvious to me when Obama flipped on FISA that he was a sellout. Pity millions of others didn't notice.

    Of course, after primaries, contests on contests, court decisions, etc. and every other means to water down the electorate's (that of course is us) choice of candidate, the PTB manage to present us with a laughing “selection”

    1. A doddering, cranky old man on his last leg who can't remember breakfast, is a known hothead and who has residual mental problems from his POW days and his idiotic running mate

    OR

    2. The handsome, articulate, YOUNG, HEALTHY intelligent black man and his beautiful family and his passable running mate

    They didn't even need DIEBOLD this time, folks.

    See what would happen if people in this country had any sense, is they would stop showing up for any of these sham elections. Then the USA would be exposed as the true banana republic that it is and has been since the days of Ronnie Ray gun.

    Now, as the US economy collapses into a steaming pile of dung, sweeping millions of former middle class citizens into abject poverty and homelessness, the USA can join the rest of the third world whose citizens struggle to exist on less than a dollar a day.

    Of course, if Americans knew their history, they would understand that the Civil War never really ended… ours was a regional expression of a world wide conflict and guess what folks? The plantation owners figured out how to win it:

    It's called “globalization.”


  101. 101marblex

    Here is your essay assignment for today, children:

    Distinguish between political precedent and legal precedent. Confine your discussion to SCOTUS' Bush v. Gore decision. Extra credit will be given for an analysis of the decision in the context of what controversies are and are not legally justicable.


  102. 102youmayberight

    I watched that video. He opposed impeachment as unrealistic, but he did come out for criminal prosecutions once an Obama administration came in. I don't think he was inconsistent.


  103. 103Floridatexan

    Your reference is disgusting and reveals you for what you are.


  104. 104Latest Writings « Sahil Kapur

    [...] Rep. Nadler: Investigate torture or face road to ‘tyranny’, Raw Story, 13 Jul 2010 [...]


  105. 105Private Health Insurance : : Not Gonna Doit - Insurance Today

    [...] Rep. Nadler: Investigate torture or face road to ‘tyranny’ | Raw Story “If you don’t prosecute, or if you don’t investigate, then what you’re saying is government can do anything,” Nadler argued. “And that’s a formula for tyranny. So I think it’s very important.” As for looking forward and not backwards? “By that standard you’d never prosecute any crime.” [...]


  106. 106Asha Cakanic

    Back when I was just a little kid I first saw.


Leave a Reply

blog comments powered by Disqus